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- How To Get Free Cable
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Remember TV antennas? Well, they still exist. A digital TV antenna allows you to watch local TV stations for free, all without paying a dime to a cable provider.
RELATED:Cutting the Cord: Can Buying Episodes and Watching TV Online Be Cheaper Than Cable?
The best part? I still get to watch all of my favorite TV shows, even though I don’t have a cable subscription. Here are a few ways you can watch TV without cable, too. Hulu is my personal favorite way to watch TV without cable. The basic plan starts at just $7.99 per month. Selecting this plan gives you unlimited access to stream on. Best way to get free cable TV channels 100% legally, never pay for cable again. If you do not yet get free cable TV channels you need to read this now. A step-by-step guide to getting free digital TV and access to cable shows without paying for cable. Also I get free internet by having a LAN device that came with my pc and I was able to.
We’ve talked about cutting the cord by relying on Internet services, but this is yet another way to cut that TV bill and get more content to watch. Follow along as we run you through not only which antenna to buy and the differences between them, but also which local channels you can receive based on where you live, and how strong of a signal you can get in the first place.
Discover Your Local Channels and Their Signal Strength
Device For Free Cable Tv Channels
To find out which TV channels you can get over the air for free, we recommend visiting a site called TV Fool and using their signal locator tool. Simply enter your address and click on “Find Local Channels”.
Give it a few moments to load the next page. Once it loads, you’ll see what looks like a round diagram with various lines inside, as well as a list of channels off to the right, highlighted in different colors.
It can be a bit daunting trying to figure out what it all means, but the only thing you really need to pay the most attention to is the circular diagram. The lines you see are in various lengths, and each line represents a channel. The longer a line is and the closer it is to the center of the bullseye, the better the signal is for that channel based on your location.
The direction of the lines are important as well. The diagram’s cross represents north, south, east, and west. As you can see from my diagram above, most of the broadcast signals are coming from the northeast, which means I should ideally place my antenna in the northeast corner of my house so that I can get the best signal possible. (More on antenna selection in a moment.)
From the list of channels on the right-hand side, you really only need to focus on the distance of the broadcasts signals, which tells you how far away they are.
Since many of the signals that I can get are fairly close to my location (only 5-10 miles away), placement of my antenna isn’t super critical. However, if your broadcast signals are farther away, you’ll need to pay extra close attention to where and how you place your antenna.
TV Fool gives you a rough idea on this by using colors to highlight which channels you’ll easily receive and which ones would be more difficult. Channels in green are channels that you could get with a basic TV antenna, while channels highlighted in yellow and red will need a more powerful antenna and strategic placement.
The Different Types of Antennas
Which type of antenna you purchase largely depends on the information that you gathered from above diagram, and different antennas are available depending on how far away you are from the broadcast signals.
Indoor vs. Outdoor Antennas
Not all TV antennas are weatherproof, and many cheaper ones are only meant to be placed indoors. If broadcast signals are relatively easy to come by in your area, then you’re probably fine getting an indoor antenna.
If some of the broadcast signals are farther away, though, an indoor antenna may not be powerful enough. For that, you’ll need an outdoor antenna, built to take the grunt that mother nature provides, and reach much farther. Outdoor antennas are almost always more reliable, though they take a bit more work to set up.
Directional vs. Multi-Directional Antennas
You’ll also want to consider whether the antenna you get is directional (also called uni-directional) or multi-directional (also called omni-directional). As you can guess, directional antennas grab a signal from a single direction, while multi-directional antennas can fetch signals coming from any direction.
Multi-directional antennas are more convenient, but have a significant downside: their range is usually much weaker than directional antennas, which can put all of their power toward gain a signal from a single direction. Multi-directional antennas can also suffer from noise and interference coming from all directions, whereas a directional antenna can block all that out.
Of course, a directional antenna will only work if the channels you want are all in one direction. If they’re coming from different parts of town, a directional antenna won’t work well for you.
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VHF vs. UHF
Television broadcast signals are transmitted over two different frequencies: Very High Frequency (VHF) and Ultra High Frequency (UHF), so it’s important that the antenna you end up buying supports either or both (ideally both).
If you go back to your TV Fool analysis, you can take a look at the section below the list of channels, which will tell you what channels use UHF and which ones use VHF.
You don’t need to know a whole lot about this, other than which frequency is used the most by the channels that you can receive over the air. If they’re mostly UHF, then you’ll want to be sure to buy an antenna that can grab UHF signals. Most antennas can grab both VHF and UHF channels anyway, but it’s good to check before you buy, just in case.
A Note on Pre-Amplifiers
Other than the antenna itself, you also may need what’s called a pre-amplifier, which is a small device that gets connected inline with the antenna’s coaxial cable on its way to your television.
If the cable from the antenna to the TV is going to be any longer than 50 feet or so, then you’ll need to get a pre-amplifier. The longer the cable is, the weaker the signal gets by the time it reaches your television, so using a pre-amp (like this one) and installing it near the antenna inline with the cable will make sure that you don’t lose any signal strength.
However, make sure to check if your antenna already comes with a pre-amp built in. Many outdoor antennas already do, since they know you’ll likely need a long run of cable to make it to your television.
Our Recommended Antennas
If you’re looking for a basic indoor multi-directional antenna, this 1byone indoor antenna ($13) is one of the most popular indoor TV antennas on Amazon, thanks to its 25-mile range and measly price tag. If you just need a cheap, basic antenna to place in a window and be done with it, that’s a good option. It has a common flat design to it that many antenna makers use, so feel free to go with another company if the price is better—The Mohu Leaf ($40) is also very popular (I have one and it works great), and The Wirecutter recommends the ClearStream Eclipse ($40, amplified version for $60).
Indoor directional antennas aren’t as common, but they do exist. This antenna from Terk ($60) is a popular option with a range of 45 miles. We’ve also used the 60-mile ClearStream 2 ($90) in the past with great results, though it’s a little big to be considered “indoor” (even though it’s labeled as such). Still, on an apartment balcony, we found it got all the channels in that direction with great clarity.
If you want an outdoor multi-directional antenna, we use this amplified 60-mile range model from 1byone ($70) and it works great. There’s no need to point it in any specific direction, so you have a lot more options as far as where you could mount it on the outside of your house, which also helps since you need to run power to it.
Outdoor directional antennas are extremely common, though, so you’ll find a lot of options in this area. 1byone’s outdoor directional antenna ($45) has an 85-mile range, which has a farther reach than their multi-directional model, but it’s also much larger. It also requires that you plug it into a power source, since it’s amplified.
Again, there are lots of other antennas out there, but these are a few popular, highly rated options (and a few we’ve tried ourselves with good results). Every antenna will work a little differently depending on your neighborhood and where you set it up, so you may have to try a couple before you find the ideal one for you. Buy from somewhere with a good return policy!
How to Hook Your Antenna Up to Your TV
Got your antenna? Great! Now it’s time to set it up and try it out.
You’ll first need to position the antenna in a good location (ideally where it has the best line-of-sight with signal towers). Again, if you get a very strong signal, a basic indoor antenna by your TV will probably be good enough. Mounting it by the window will get you a better signal, if you need it. (Don’t actually mount anything on your wall until you’re happy with the signal you get, though. You may need to move the antenna around to improve your signal and experiment with different locations.)
If you need an outdoor antenna, though, it’ll take a bit more work to install—you’ll likely have to use a ladder to climb up and mount it to the roof or side of the house using the included hardware. If you aren’t comfortable doing this, call a professional. (Check to see if your house already has a roof antenna, too—many do!)
After you’ve found a good place for your antenna, connect it to your television with the included coaxial cable. In the photo above, you can see how we’ve attached the coaxial cable from our antenna to the antenna input jack on our TV. And if your antenna is amplified, plug the amplifier into a power source. Our antenna can be powered via USB, so we plugged the USB cable that powers the amplification system into the TV’s USB port.
Once it’s plugged in, head to your TV’s channel setup menu. Your TV will need to scan for available channels, which should take just a few minutes. When it’s done, you’ll be watching HD TV channels, you can cut the cable cord for good. If you aren’t getting the best signal possible, adjust the positioning and try scanning again—hopefully, with a bit of tweaking, you’ll be watching all your local channels in crystal-clear HD.
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Cable TV: It’s fun, it’s great to watch after a long day at work. but it’s also pretty darn expensive! Only if there was a way to get it for free.
According to statistics, the average American spends $99 per month on their cable bill, meaning that over the course of the year, you end up racking up more than $1000 just for watching TV!
Wouldn’t it be great if you could get access to your favorite shows and movies, without paying for it each month?
Fortunately, there are many free and cheap alternatives to cable TV that let you get TV for free without resorting to any illegal activities.
If you know the right methods (and we’re not talking about pirating cable and stealing your neighbor’s cable here!), there are plenty of ways to watch TV for free.
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Below, we’ve compiled a list of easy to follow tips on how to do it. So, if you’re wondering how to get free cable TV legally, then keep reading!
1. Get free Basic Cable TV with an HDTV antenna
There is a thing called Broadcast Digital TV that apparently most people are unaware of.
According to the Disablemycable.com, you can receive signals for the major networks such as NBC, FOX, and ABC, as well as PBS and local stations for free with a Hi-Def antenna.
And there is an easy and quick way to see which channels you can get.
Here is how:
- Visit https://www.fcc.gov/media/engineering/dtvmaps.
- Enter your zip code in the box and hit “go”.
- You’ll then see a table with Green, Red, and Orange rows, each containing local and national TV stations.
The Green and Yellow indicate channels you can easily get with an indoors antenna.
The Orange indicates channels that you may need an outdoor antenna and some tweaking to get.
Use that list as a rough estimate of how many channels you can get through Broadcast Digital TV as it is not an exact list.
As mentioned, you do need a good HDTV antenna. Now, we’re not talking about those old-school, rabbit-ear style antennas– they’ve come a long way since then. Nowadays, you can pick up an HDTV antenna for a reasonable price, and with it get access to shows from major and local TV networks.
You have the right to pick up signals from these networks for free!
All that you need to pay for is the initial cost of the antenna, but after this one-time payment, you get channels for free.
Conveniently, you can get HDTV antennas for outdoor or indoor use.
Some people prefer indoor antennas, as they’re so easy to set up, and have success using them.
Other people prefer outdoor antennas placed on the roof or elsewhere on the exterior of the home, and feel like they get a wider selection of channels to choose from. It’s really a matter of personal preference.
How to set it up
Okay, so if you want to use this method to get free cable TV legally, then you’ll need to purchase and install an HDTV antenna.
There are plenty of places where you can find them, but Amazon is a good place to start.
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Check out these products:
- 1byone HDTV Antenna – 25 Miles Range with 10ft High Performance Coax Cable: Costs $12.99
- Blimark HDTV Indoor Antenna- 50 Miles Digital Long Range TV HD Antenna With Amplifier Signal Booster: Costs $27.99
- RCA Compact Outdoor Yagi HDTV Antenna with 60 Mile Range: Costs $45.99
How To Get Free Cable
A good HDTV antenna can be picked up for $10 to $50, which isn’t a lot, plus it’s a one-off investment that you’re definitely going to get your money’s worth out of.
Tip: If you’re not already a member, consider signing up for Swagbucks. It’s a rewards site that pays you to answer surveys, and do stuff that you’re probably already doing, like:
- Shopping
- Playing games
- Watching videos
For doing these tasks, you’re rewarded with points, called Swagbucks, which you can redeem for cash via PayPal or for gift cards, including Amazon gift cards. You could use that Amazon gift card to buy an antenna. Then you don’t have to pay a penny!
2. Visit TV.com
One of the best and often overlooked places to find great TV shows is at TV.com.
If you don’t already know, TV.com is a TV listings guide. It also offers TV reviews and other information.
What a lot of people don’t realize is that you can find full free episodes of recent TV shows for free!
Really.
There’s a huge selection of quality shows to choose from.
How to set it up
Simply visit this page and then scroll through the selection of shows on offer. Don’t forget to scroll down to the bottom and click on the “load more” tab to see more shows.
You can find free cable shows, as well as major network shows on there.
3. Watch free TV online
A lot of channels, including major networks, actually post full episodes of their shows online.
Really!
You wouldn’t necessarily think it, but a lot of networks post their programs on their websites, and you can watch them for free!
Often, the content the networks post online will only be available to watch for a limited time, but it’s still free TV!
How to set it up
All you need to do is think about the channels and the networks that you like, and then visit their websites.
When you visit a network’s website, look out for a tab that says something like “videos” or “episodes”.
To get you started, here are a few examples of channels and networks that offer free content online:
This method of getting free cable TV is probably the easiest and it requires no upfront payment either.
Tip: If you don’t like watching TV on your phone, laptop or computer, and prefer to watch stuff on the TV, then don’t worry. All you need to do is buy an HDMI cable, and then use it to connect your PC to your TV, and then you can stream the content that way.
Check out this article for more information on how to do it – it’s really easy!
And, the best part is that you can get an HDMI cable from Amazon for just $6.99! Check it out here.
4. Use a streaming service – for free!
Using a streaming service like Netflix or Amazon Prime Video is already much cheaper than a cable subscription. Netflix costs just $7.99 per month, whereas the average cable bill sets you back a whopping $90+ a month.
But, did you know that you can actually use some streaming services for free?
Really!
Take a look at these examples…
Crackle
Crackle is such a unique platform, because like Hulu and HBO NOW, it allows you to stream content from a library of movies and television shows, but it’s completely free.
It’s owned by Sony, and offers a plethora of movies, from drama to action, and well-known TV shows like Seinfeld.
If you really want to cut the cost of watching TV, then Crackle is definitely a platform that you should check out. Combine it with the content on TV.com and network websites and you’ve got yourself a pretty great selection of content to get through.
Netflix
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Like everyone else on the planet, you’ve probably heard about Netflix.
It’s arguably the most well-known streaming platform around. On there, you can find hundreds of movies, from classic to modern and from comedy to horror, as well as a ton of TV shows – many of them exclusive to the platform.
While a Netflix subscription costs $7.99 per month, which is way cheaper than cable, you can actually get a free trial of it for a month. So, if you’re cutting out your cable subscription and you’re looking for something to watch then you should definitely check out Netflix.
If you like it, then you might consider signing up and if you don’t, then you just got a month of TV for free out of it.
Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Prime Video is another streaming service that’s very similar to Netflix. It offers a wide range of well-known TV shows, like Vikings and American Horror Story.
You can just pay for Amazon Prime Video, which costs, $8.99 per month, or you can get a full Prime Membership for $10.99.
With a full Prime membership, you’ll not only get access to Amazon’s video library, but also a plethora of other perks, like free shipping on every order.
So, like Netflix, it’s a much cheaper service than cable, but if you don’t want to pay a cent, then you’ll be glad to know that you don’t have to.
Fortunately, Amazon offers a free month-long trial of Amazon Prime. That’s a pretty great deal. Get yourself a month of free video content and free shipping, and then you can cancel your membership at any time.
How to set it up
Using a streaming service is pretty easy, but you will have to create an account on each of the platforms that you want to use. This doesn’t take long, plus it’s totally free.
You can watch content from services like Netflix across multiple platforms, like your phone, tablet, PC, laptop or games console.
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How to DVR stuff without cable
Okay, so one of the pitfalls of canceling the cable subscription is that you can’t record stuff, and many people miss recording their favorite shows and movies.
Fortunately, just because you’ve cut the cord, it doesn’t mean that you have to miss out.
All you need to do is invest in a device that records TV.
Here are a few to consider:
Bottom Line
Nowadays, with streaming platforms and major network websites, there are plenty of places where you can find great content, without having to fork over more than $1000 for it each year.
All you need to do is try a few of the methods above and you can easily get free cable TV legally.